Japanese parents to track kids with GPS

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Japanese parents who are worried about their children will be
able to put military technology in their schoolbags to track them
down at all times, amid a nationwide preoccupation with
security.

The schoolbags, to go on sale on Monday (November 1), will be
equipped with the Global Positioning System, the satellite
technology used by the US military along with civilian
applications.

Parents will be able to call operators or log onto an Internet
page to pinpoint the location of their children - or, at least,
their bags.

Japan prides itself on being one of the world's safest
countries, but spending on personal security has shot up in recent
years, particularly after a former mental patient stabbed to death
eight children at an Osaka school in 2001.

"With increasing crimes involving children these days, mothers
are worrying about their children's safety on their way from
school," said Kyoko Minakawa, spokeswoman for bagmaker Kyowa which
is selling the bags.

She said Kyowa teamed up to design the bag with security company
Secom, which will have staff ready to be dispatched to locations
requested by parents.

Some 10,000 bags will go on sale through three department stores
and Kyowa's 63 shops. The initial price will be ¥33,000
($US310) each.

While the tracking technology will be sold as part of the
schoolbags, it can also be removed and is small enough to fit into
children's pockets.